For profit's sake, China's people are getting poisoned.

[BERIGAN]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19649894/site/newsweek/

[Jazzmoose]

Ouch! Ah, the joys of unregulated capitalism...

[Chuck Nessa]

Buy products from China and kill the enemy. Devious plot.

Y'all can do this via Walmart.

[ghost of miles]

It's hard to throw stones when you live in a globally-warmed glass house.

[Guy Berger]

I thought this was the operative paragraph of the article...

It's not unlike America in the age of the robber barons, more than a century ago. In 1906, ordinary Americans' outrage over unsafe medicines and foodstuffs—and books like Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle," with its horrific portrait of Chicago's meatpacking industry—led to passage of the landmark Pure Food and Drug Act. Right now, though, most Chinese are busy earning a living.

[Chas]

While it is no doubt true that China produces many substandard , unsafe products , the sudden U.S. media attention serves other interests besides the humanitarian . The U.S. runs a trade deficit of a QUARTER TRILLION dollars annually with China . When accusations of unfair trading practices fail politically to result in tariffs and duties , 'product safety concerns' become a more saleable , alternative means to the same protectionist end , viz. the restriction of imports .

[Guy Berger]

While it is no doubt true that China produces many substandard , unsafe products , the sudden U.S. media attention serves other interests besides the humanitarian . The U.S. runs a trade deficit of a QUARTER TRILLION dollars annually with China . When accusations of unfair trading practices fail politically to result in tariffs and duties , 'product safety concerns' become a more saleable , alternative means to the same protectionist end , viz. the restriction of imports .

Bingo.

Let's also keep in mind that there is an influential minority of hawkish politicians and political entrepeneurs who think that conflict with China is inevitable and want to "jump the gun".

Guy

[BERIGAN]

I thought this was the operative paragraph of the article...

It's not unlike America in the age of the robber barons, more than a century ago. In 1906, ordinary Americans' outrage over unsafe medicines and foodstuffs—and books like Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle," with its horrific portrait of Chicago's meatpacking industry—led to passage of the landmark Pure Food and Drug Act. Right now, though, most Chinese are busy earning a living.

True enough, but do you think within their current political system, a Chinese Upton Sinclair will get a book published there???

[Guy Berger]

I thought this was the operative paragraph of the article...

It's not unlike America in the age of the robber barons, more than a century ago. In 1906, ordinary Americans' outrage over unsafe medicines and foodstuffs—and books like Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle," with its horrific portrait of Chicago's meatpacking industry—led to passage of the landmark Pure Food and Drug Act. Right now, though, most Chinese are busy earning a living.

True enough, but do you think within their current political system, a Chinese Upton Sinclair will get a book published there???

I'm not an expert on China, but I do read news articles about it, and there is quite a bit of criticism of the national and local governments by Chinese media and NGOs. Protests on environmental issues are not unusual.

Out of curiosity, what's your proposed plan of action?

Guy

Edited July 13, 2007 by Guy

[vibes]

Buy products from China and kill the enemy. Devious plot.

Y'all can do this via Walmart.

Walmart and everywhere else, really.